Device for recovering gold from streams



y 1956 w. s. TEMPLE DEVICE FOR RECOVERING GOLD FROM STREAMS Filed Oct. 19, 1955 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent DEVICE FOR RECOVERING GOLD FROM STREAMS William S. Temple, Hattiesburg, Miss.

Application October 19, 1955, Serial No. 541,504

3 Claims. (Cl. 262-2) This invention relates to a device for recovering gold from streams.

An object of this invention is to provide a gold recovery means in the form of a tubular conveyor having digging teeth or plates at its lower end with a centrally disposed air and water conducting pipe discharging into the lower end of a pick-up or collector and forcing the mixture of water and solids upwardly through the conveyor for delivering into a collector or receptacle (11S- posed at the upper end of the conveyor tube.

Another object of this invention is to provide a gold digging means which is of simple construction and can be readily moved about the bottom of a stream for digging up the sand and other minerals such as gold, for tie livery of the collected material into the collecting receptacle.

With the foregoing and other objects in view WhlCh will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts, hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a gold recovery device constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral designates generally a tubular conveyor which is formed of a plurality of connected together tubular sections and in the present instance there are shown two of these sections, one section 11 being the lower section and the other section 12 being the upper section. The lower section 11 has secured to the lower end thereof a pick-up generally indicated at 14 which is formed with an enlarged lower foot portion 15 and a reduced upper end or neck 16 secured by means of a clamping pin or other fastening means 17 to the lower end of the lower section 11. The lower section 11 is coupled to the upper section 12 by means of a threaded coupling sleeve 18. The digging member or head 14 has disposed interiorly thereof an annular toothed digging member 19 which is formed with radially disposed spokes 20 with a circulation central hub 21 secured to the lower end of a combined air and water discharging pipe 22. The pipe 22 is adapted to discharge air and water under pressure in the digging member 14 at a point below the digging member '19 and the air and water discharged into the digging head 14 is then adapted to pass upwardly in the conveyor 10. The water, sand and other minerals which are agitated by the digging member 14 are carried upwardly through the upper conveyor member 12 which at its upper end portion is provided with a plurality of openings 23. A cylindrical housing 24 is disposed about the upper end of the conveyor tube 12 and the housing 24 is provided with openings 25 through which the water from the sand or other lighter minerals is adapted to pass. The housing 24 is formed at its lower end with a tapered bottom wall 26 which is fixed as by wiring or the like to the exterior of the conveyor tube 12. A cap 27 having a marginal rim or flange 28 is threaded or otherwise fixedly secured to the upper end of the housing 24. The cap 27 is provided with a pair of upstanding eyes 29 which are engaged by suspension chains or flexible members 30.

The pipe 22 is provided with a T-connection 31 at its upper end and the T-connection has a water pipe 32 connected to one side thereof and has an air pipe 33 connected to the other side thereof. The water and air under pressure in the pipes 32 and 33 are adapted to flow downwardly through pipe 22 for discharge into the digging head 14 and the air and water will thereafter flow upwardly through the conveyor tube 10 and will be discharged into the housing 24 through the openings 23. The heavier minerals such as gold, silver or the like will drop downwardly in the space 34 which is disposed between the housing 24 and the upper portion of tube 12. These heavier minerals after collecting in the lower imperforate portion of housing 24 may be removed from housing 24 by opening on arcuate closure 35 which is slidable in upper and lower guides 36 and 37 which are fixed to the housing 24. Housing 24 is formed with an opening 38 which in the operation of the device will be closed after the manner shown in Fig. 3. Closure 35 has a cap or handle 39 fixed thereto so that this closure can readily be moved to open or closed position. Pipe 22 is fixed centrally within the upper portion of tube 12 by means of radially disposed raising bars 4ll and pipe 12 is fixed radially within the housing 24 by means of radially disposed braces 41.

In the use and operation of this device the device is suspended from a suitable support by the suspension chains or flexible members 29. The digging head 14 is disposed in contact with the bottom of a stream whereby water and air under pressure may be discharge into the pipe 22 through the pipes 32 and 33, respectively. The sand and other minerals which are disposed in the digging head 14 are agitated by the head 14 including the teeth 19 and the loosened material is then carried upwardly in the tubes 11 and 12 and discharged through the openings 22 into housing 24 The heavier minerals including gold, silver, or the like, will be discharge into the space or chamber 34 below the housing openings 25.

After the device has been in operation for a period of time the closure 35 may be opened and the collected minerals may then be removed from the collecting chamber 34 by any suitable removing means.

What is claimed is:

1. A gold recovery means, comprising an elongated tube, a digging means on one end of said tube, the other end of said tube having a plurality of discharge openings, a pipe disposed centrally of said tube, a T-connection on one end of said pipe, a water line connected to one side of said T, an air pressure line connected to the opposite side of said T, a toothed digging member secured to the other end of said pipe and disposed within said digging means, a collector disposed about said other end of said tube, said collector comprising a cylindrical wall having drain openings aligning with said first named openings, a bottom wall in the lower end of'said cylindrical wall, said cylindrical wall having a gold removal opening in the lower portion thereof, a closure for said latter opening, a cap on the upper end of said collector, said pipe extending through said cap, and flexible suspension means fixed to and extending from said cap.

2. A gold recovery means, comprising an elongated tube, a digging means on one end of said tube, the other Patented July 31, 1956 end -:of said tube having a plurality of discharge openings, a pipe disposed centrally of said tube, a T-connection on one end of said pipe, a water line connected to one side of said T, an air pressure line connected to the opposite side of said T, .a toothed digging member secured to the other end of .said pipe and disposed within said digging means, a collector disposed about said other end of said tube, said collector comprising a cylindrical wall having drain openings aligning with said first named openings, a bottom wall in the lower end of said cylindrical wall, said cylindrical wall having a gold removal opening in the lower portion thereof, upper and lower guides fixed to said collector .on the upper and lower edges of said removal opening, a closure slidably engaging said guides, a cap on the upper end of said collector, said pipe extending through said cap and flexible suspension means fixed to and extending from said cap.

3. A gold recovery means comprising an elongated tube, a digging means on one end of said tube, the other end of said tube having a plurality of discharge openings, a pipe disposed centrally of said tube, a '1'- connection on one end of said pipe, a water line connected to one side of said T, an air pressure line connected to the opposite side of said T, a toothed digging member secured to the other end of said pipe and disposed within said digging means, a collector disposed about said other end of said tube, said collector comprising a cylindrical wall having drain openings aligning with said first named openings, a bottom wall in the lower end of said cylindrical wall, said collector having a diameter substantially greater than said tube to define a relatively large receiving chamber about said tube, said cylindrical wall having a gold removal opening in the lower portion thereof, :a. closure for .said latter opening, a cap on the upper end .of said collector, said pipe extending through said cap, and flexible suspension means fixed to and extending from said cap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 823,749 Wanner June 19, 1906 861,859 Johnstone July 30, 1907 1,326,775 Bunker Dec. 21, 1920 

1. A GOLD RECOVERY MEANS, COMPRISING AN ELONGATED TUBE, A DIGGING MEANS ON ONE END OF SAID TUBE, THE OTHER END OF SAID TUBE HAVING A PLURALITY OF DISCHARGE OPENINGS, A PIPE DISPOSED CENTRALLY OF SAID TUBE, A T-CONNECTION ON ONE END OF SAID PIPE, A WATER LINE CONNECTED TO ONE SIDE OF SAID T, AN AIR PRESSURE LINE CONNECTED TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID T, A TOOTHED DIGGING MEMBER SECURED TO THE OTHER END OF SAID PIPE AND DISPOSED WITHIN SAID DIGGING MEANS, A COLLECTOR DISPOSED ABOUT SAID OTHER END OF SAID TUBE, SAID COLLECTOR COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL WALL HAVING DRAIN OPENINGS ALIGNING WITH SAID FIRST NAMED OPENINGS, A BOTTOM WALL IN THE LOWER END OF SAID CYLINDRICAL 